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No. 623,899. Patentad Apr. 25, I899.

E. C. GIPE.

CASH AND PACKAGE CARRIER.

(Application filed May 23, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Apr. 25, I899.

E. c. GIPE. cAsufAN'n PACKAGE CARRIER.

(Application filed May 23, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 623,899. Patented Apr. 25, I899. E. C. GIPE.

CASH AND PACKAGE CARRIER.

(Application filed May 28, 1898.)

3 Sheets8heet 3.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES ATENT Fries".

EMANUEL O. GIPE, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS TO GEORGE V. TASSELL, OF WAUKESI-IA, WISCONSIN, AND FELIX J. GRIF- FEN, OF CHICAGO, AND HENRY L. GLOS, OF ELMHURST, ILLINOIS.

CASH AND PACKAGE CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,899, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed May23, 1898. serial No. 681,4:58. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern: locked position, said View being taken upon Be it known that I, EMANUEL C. GIPE, of line 4 4, Fig. 7. Fig. 5 is asimilar view show- Freeport, in the county of Stevenson and ing the parts as they would appeal-in an un- State of Illinois, have invented certain new locked position. Fig. 6 is a like view show- 5 and useful Improvements in Cash and Packing the parts as they would appear when the age Carriers, of which the following is a full, basket is about to be locked to the car. Fig. clear, and exact description, reference being '7 is a transverse vertical sectional view in had to the accompanying drawings, forming detail of the stirrup mechanism for looking a part of this specification, in which correthe basket to and releasing it from the car,

[0 sponding letters of reference in the different together with means for normally controlling figures indicate like parts. said stirrup and holding the same in a disen- My invention relates to that class of packgaged position. Fig. 8 is a plan View in deage-carriers in whichasuitable basket or retail of the plate from which the basket is ceiver is detachably connected with a car suspended and which serves to connect the 15 adapted to roll upon a suspended wire or rod, same with the car; and Fig. 9 is a view of the said device being provided with means whereparts shown in Figs. 5 and 6, but representby the basket may be raised or lowered by ing them in slightly-different relative posithe operator at either end of the line and tions. locked to or released from the car through Referring to the drawings, a and 1) respec- 20 the action of suitable automatic mechanism; tively represent the usual vertical standards,

and the object of my invention is, among which are rigidly attached to the ceiling in other things, to so arrange and construct said any suitable manner. Attached to the lower mechanismthat by pulling upon a given cord end of the standard a is a sleeve 0, having connected with a stirrup adapted to suspend lugs d d formed thereon, whereby to connect 25 the basket while being raised or lowered the the usual diagonal braces e e, which are in basket may, by the same movement of the turn secured to the ceiling. An armfis exstirrup, be alternately released from and tended forward from the sleeve, and serves locked to the car. not only as a means for anchoring one end of Other objects are to provide simple autoa wire i thereto, but a cross-bar 9, Figs. 2

3o matic means for locking the car to and reand '7, secured thereon serves as a means for leasing the same from the bumpers, to prosupporting pulleys s s and other parts,which 8o vide simple and novel means for suspending will be hereinafter described. The standards the basket below butout of contact with the b 1), consisting of parallel bars, are secured car when not in use, for holding the releasin a similar manner to that of the standard 35 ing-stirrup in a given normal position, and a,and are braced by means of diagonal braces in providing improved means for guiding and b b, which are attached to the opposite ends controlling the propelling mechanism, all of of a cross-bar 19 The latter is bolted bewhich is hereinafter more particularly detween flanged plates 5 Figs. 1, 2, and 3, scribed, and definitely pointed out in the formed upon the lower end of said bars. De-

40 claims. pending from the bottom plate b are two par- In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of allel flanges b, which lie in the same planes, a package-carrier mechanism embodying the respectively, with those of the standards 17. features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan Between said flanges, as well as between the View thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed lower ends of the standards I), are mounted 45 View of aportion of the left-hand end of said winches h h, Fig. 3, to which are attached carrier mechanism, said view being partly in ratchet-wheels h h, controlled by pawls 7L2 7L2, section. Fig. 4 is a central vertical longituas shown. Wires t'j are attached to the dinal sectional View in detail of a part of the winches, respectively, which may be tightlocking mechanism, showing the same .in a ened in the usual manner by means of asuitable key. The wires are passed through bores, as shown in cross-pieces 'ij, by which said wires are maintained in the same vertical plane. A rod Z (better shown in Fig. 3) is projected loosely through a bore in a crosspiece at the bottom of the flange I). To the opposite end of the rod is attached a combined bumper and catch 'm, having an upwardly-extended arm on, through which the 'wirej is loosely passed, thus serving to support said bumper and to hold the same in alinement with the wires. Spiral springs Z Z are mounted upon the rod Z, upon opposite sides of the plate 7;, to enable the part m to act as a buffer.

The opposite end of the wire 11 is passed through a bore in a lug r, Fig. '7, and fastened to a pin f upon the arm f. The rod 3' is passed through a bore in the fitting upon the lower end of the standard a and is permanently attached thereto. A bumper m is secured to said fitting and connected to the wire j in the same manner that the bumper m is connected at the opposite end. It will thus be seen that the wires are in the same vertical plane throughout their length, the object of the former wire being to simplify the framework by supporting the forward pulleys and other parts of the propulsion mechanism hereinafter described. Clamped to the wire 2 in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 are cross-bars n 0, provided with depending arms o n, to which are attached pulleys n n 0 0 the axes of which are in substantial alinement with the wire j.

Mounted upon the wire j are wheels 19 p, from which is suspended the frame q of a car adapted to be propelled upon the wire by means of an impulse, as hereinafter described. Pivoted to the opposite ends of the car are catches r 0, which are held in normal positions, respectively, by means of a spring 9 Fig. Each of said catches is provided with a part r which passes over the wire j, the oscillatory movement being limited in both directions by suitable stops adapted to engage the end of the car. A bar 0', which connects downwardly-inclined parallel arms of said catch, serves to engage and interlock with the bumper m in the manner clearly indicated in Fig. 3, arollerbeing mounted upon said bar to lessen the friction as it rides up upon the incline m The propelling mechanism at the transmitting-station is as follows: An arm 5, Figs. 1 and 2, is rigidly attached to the standard a and is extended rearwardl y therefrom. Upon the standard a is mounted a pulleys and upon the arm 3 a secondary pulley 8 A cord 8 has one end attached to a snatchblock 8, thence over the pulley .9 through the snatcl1block,over the pulley s',around one of the pulleys n thence rearwardly around the catch rofthe car, forward to and around the second pulley n thence back over the pulley .9 through the snatch-block, thence around the pulley s and back to the snatchblock, to which it is attached. A cord 1, en ables the snatch-block to be actuated by the operator. A rod t", Fig. 1, is rigidly attached to the snatch-block at one end and pivotally attached to the cross-bar n at the other, and thus serves asa guide in directing and steadying the movement of the snatch-block and in preventing the latter from swaying unduly, as it is liable to do without this device. By the arrangement described of the cord-andpulley mechanism, in conjunction with the spring-catches r, the car is released from its connection with the bumper, the initial strain upon the cord serving to lift the catch 0', and is propelled with the requisite speed and force along the wirej to the receiving-station,where the catch 0 upon the opposite end of the car is brought into engagement with the bumper and automatically locked thereto. In the meantime it is brought into engagement with the propelling-cord u at the receiving-sta tion, which is in contact with the catch 0', as shown in Fig. 3, ready to release and impart a backward impulse to the car.

At the receiving-station there is provided a snatch-block 2:, having a handle 1; thereon, and the cord to is trained from said snatchblock over a pulley a, supported by the standard-bars Z1, thence beneath the pulley t of the snatch-block, thence over a pulley it upon an arm 11, thence over one of the pulleys 0 beneath the wire j, over the other pulley 0 back to the pulley 20 through the snatchblock '1), over the pulley u, and back to the snatch-block, to which it is attached. A rod 1: like the rod 15' is rigidly attached to the snatch-block o and pivotally to the cross-bar 0. Said rod passes between the vertical bars I), which thereby form guides to prevent any lateral movement of the rod and enables the propelling mechanism to be operated with the utmost smoothness and case. By the use of my improved propelling mechanism, including the series of pulleys, the speed is greatly increased.

In Figs. 4 to S, inclusive, I have shown my improved mechanism for locking the basket to the car and releasing the same therefrom. The usual basket 10, which is represented in Fig. 1, is provided with suspending-wires 10, shown in the figures last above referred to, which wires are clamped at the top to a locking-plate 10 Openings are formed in the plate, leaving a central cross-bar 10 which is adapted to engage the lock. Pivoted at q in the frame (1 is an oscillatory knuckle (1 having detents g (1 and q", for the purposes hereinafter stated. A retaining-dogzc is also pivoted within the frame at m and is preferably provided with the spring m by which to force the free end downwardly. A trigger a is pivotally attached to the end of the dog 00, while a spring x is attached to the dog and arranged to bear upon the square end of the trigger. The latter is thus held in a normal position with relation to the dog 00, while at the same time it is free to yield therefrom in either direction in the manner hereinafter stated. Guides g extend downwardly from the bottom of the car, the same being provided with inclined converging faces g which are adapted to engage the cross-bar 10 when the latter is lifted and to guide it into contact with the knuckle g Pulleys s s are supported upon cross-arms and arranged upon opposite sides of the bar 3, and similar pulleys s are mounted upon the crossbar g, (better shown in Fig. 7,) beneath which are secured vertically-arranged tubes g 9 containing spiral springs 9 Cords s are trained over the pulleys s s and extended downwardly through the tubes 9 and upon the protruding ends of said cords are attached acornshaped bulbs s 8 which are adapted to engage the lower ends of the spiral springs g when the cords are drawn upwardly. Attached to the bulbs s are short chains, as shown, which are connected with a stirrup y, which hangs normally at such a height, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, as to permit the part q of the car to freely pass thereover.

The plate 10 is notched inwardly, as shown at 10 10 Figs. 7 and 8, so that when the basket is suspended from the car and the latter is moved to its initial position the chains or arms of the stirrup are received into the notches w, thus leaving the stirrup y immediately below the cross-bar 10 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The notches 10 are enlarged at their inner ends, as shown at 10 10 to receive the parts 'y' of the stirrup. By means of this construction the plate Q02 and stirrup are practically locked to each other as long as the two are in the relation specified, and hence the shaking of the basket will not cause it to become disconnected therefrom.

Attached to the rear end of the arm .9 is a vertical rod 2', which extends downwardly therefrom and is provided with a bend a near the upper end, which is substantially at right angles thereto, and a bend 2 in an opposite direction at the bottom. The bends z 52 respectively form arms or stops for the engagement of a loop 8 upon the cords s, which are thus brought together and provided with the usual handle .9 which enables the operator to raise and lower the basket. Inasmuch as it is not desirable to raise the basket and lock it to the car each time after its return from the wrappers desk until it again becomes necessary to use it I employ the bar .2', with the arm .2 2 the latter being used from which to suspend the basket normally out of the way. By releasing the loop 5' from the arm .2 and catching it upon the arm a the basket may be lowered to the desired height for loading.

Having thus described the various parts of my improved device, I will now explain its operation. The basket being loaded, the operator pulls upon the cord 8 from which the basket is suspended, as shown in Fig. 1, until the bar 20 of the plate 20 is brought into contact with the detent g of the knuckle g which is in the position shown in Fig. 5. By lifting the basket until the plate 10 is in contact with the bottom of the car the part g of the knuckle is thrown back, so as to permit the dog to to fall, thus engaging the detent g with a shoulder 00 upon said dog and locking the knuckle positively in position, as shown in Fig. 4, when the detent g is thrown beneath the bar w which is thereby securely locked to the car. By the action of the dog as, the free end of which moves in the arc of a circle, the lower end of the trigger 00 is thrown against a flange, as shown, upon one side of the stirrup y, but is permitted to yield through the action of the spring 50 to allow the stirrup 3 to fall into its normal position as soon as the tension is released upon the cord. The recoil of the springs 9 which are in engagement with the parts 5 when the stirrup is raised, serves to overcome the weight of the handle 5 and to lower the stirrup, thus leaving the car free to pass over it without contact. The car is then propelled to its destination in the manner and by means of the propelling mechanism hereinbefore described and returned to the senders station. Upon the return of the car to the transmitting-station the operator again pulls upon the handle s lifts the stirrup into contact with the trigger 02 which has been thrown into position to engage the stirrup by the action of the spring 02 (see Fig. 4,) and the trigger being raised lifts the dog 00 and releases the detent g from contact therewith. The weight of the basket serves to move the part g into the position shown in Fig. 5 and the basket is free to be lowered. It will be observed that the stirrup y is notched, as shown at 1 Fig. 4, which notch engages the end of the trigger and holds it in contact with the stirrup until the latter is raised to its full height. This action is permitted by the yielding of the pivoted trigger, the end of which would, when raised to a given height, slip 01f from the stirrup and fall back, thereby defeating the purpose intended. As soon, however, as the stirrup is lowered the spring acting upon the upper end of the trigger causes it to assume the position shown in Fig. 5, so that when it is desired to reen gage the bar 10 with the knuckle the stirrup may be lifted up to the full limit without engaging the trigger, as shown in Fig. 6. It will thus be seen that my improved locking mechanism is so constructed that a given upward movement of the stirrup may serve to release the basket from the car, while the next upward movement thereof serves to lock it. The advantages of this feature are too obvious to require mention.

Having thus described 'my invention, I claim 1. In a package-carrying mechanism the combination with a car and a detachable basket and a suspending locking-bar attached to the basket, of a locking mechanism consistin g of an oscillatory toothed knuckle adapted to be engaged by said suspending lockin g-bar, a dog for holding said knuckle in either of two extreme positions, a stirrup for raising and lowering said basket in a path to bring said locking-bar into contact with the kn uckle, and a releasing-trigger constructed to lie in the path of movement of the stirrup when the parts are in locked positions and out of said path when they are reversed, whereby the same movement may serve to alternately release the basket from or lock the same to the car, substantially as described.

2. In a package-carrying mechanism, the combination of a car, a detachable basket and a locking mechanism consisting, of an oscillatory pivoted knuckle having a series of detents thereon, a pivoted dog for maintaining said knuckle in one of two extreme positions, a trigger for lifting said dog when in a locked position, a cross-bar attached to the basket for engaging said knuckle and a stirrup adapted to engage said trigger when the parts are inlocked positions respectively, substantiall y as described.

3. In a package-carrying mechanism, the combination with a car and a detachable basket and a suspending locking-bar attached to the basket, of a locking mechanism consistin g of an oscillatory toothed knuckle adapted to be engaged by said suspendinglocking-bar, a dog for holding said knuckle in either of two extreme positions, a stirrup for raising and lowering said basket in a path to bring the locking-bar into operative contact with the knuckle, means such as the springs and bulbs s for normally holding said stirrup out of contact with the car, and a releasingtrigger constructed to lie in the path of movement of the stirrup when the parts are in locked positions and out of said path when they are reversed, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a car and a detachable basket of an automatic lockin g mechanism in which is combined a suspending locking-bar upon the basket, an oscillatory toothed knuckle adapted to engage said bar, a dog for holding said knuckle in one of two extreme positions, a yielding trigger provided with means for holding the same in a normal relation with respect to the dog but to permit the same to yield when force is applied thereto, and a stirrup in operative connection with the basket-suspending cords, said stirrup being arranged to engage said trigger only when the latter is in one of two extreme positions, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a car and a detachable basket of the plate to having notches in a stirrup adapted to be suspended from the operating-cords,in alinement respectively with said notches, said stirrup being provided with the parts y adapted to engage the notches in said plate when the basket is suspended therefrom suitable locking mechanism and means for releasing the same through the operation of said stirrup, substantially as described.

o. The combination in a mechanism of the class described of a movable car, a detachable basket, cords for raising and lowering said basket to and from the car and a depending rod having horizontal arms extending therefrom at predetermined distances whereby the suspending-cord may be hooked thereto and the basket suspended at different heights without locking the same to the car, substantially as described.

7. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a car and a detachable basket, of propulsion-cords trained over pulleys and in operative connection with the car, a secondary wire, a snatch-block and a rod pivoted to the snatch-block and to said secondary wire at a point above the track-wire and forward of the normal position of the car, substantially as described.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a car and a detachable basket, of propulsion-cords trained over pulleys and in operative connection with the car, of a secondary wire, a snatch-block, a rod pivoted to the snatch-block and to a point upon said secondary wire above the track-wire, said pivotal point being between the two stations, and guides for preventing a lateral movement of said rod when the propulsion mechanism is operated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 5th day of May, 1898.

EMANUEL O. GIPE.

\Vitnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, R. C. OBLENIs. 

